An Alan West Connection? Attempted Bombing of Mosque in Dearborn

A man allegedly armed with explosives outside of one of the country’s largest mosques in Dearborn, Michigan was arrested this past week.

Roger Stockham, due back in court on Feb. 4 for a preliminary examination, was charged with one count of making a false report or threat of terrorism and one count of possession of bombs with unlawful intent.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to CAIR.

The downfall of his dangerous plan, according to the Detroit News, was bragging at a local bar that he was going to harm a mosque in the Detroit suburb. An alert bar employee followed the 63-year-old California resident outside, took down his license plate number and called police.

Religious leaders in the community lauded the police force’s quick actions in protecting the mosque.

“The increased number of bias incidents targeting American Muslim institutions must be addressed by local, state and national officials and law enforcement authorities,” Dawud Walid, the executive director of CAIR’s Michigan chapter said in a statement.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Michigan chapter said the accused wannabe bomber was arrested on Monday in the parking lot of Islamic Center of America.

The arrest is the latest in a rash of crimes on mosques, according to CAIR. Earlier this month, a mosque in Missouri was vandalized, the organization said.